The Town FilesSterling, Connecticut
Town · population 3,578 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $283,400
- Household income
- $102,695
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 39.4
Sterling is a town of 3,578 people, Connecticut. The median home is worth $283,400, below the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). It ranks easier by car than 87% of Connecticut towns, quieter than 76% of Connecticut towns, better for first-time buyers than 72% of Connecticut towns.
How Sterling ranks
Percentile among Connecticut towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Connecticut towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sterling is worth $283,400, below the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $102,695, which is more affordable than 89% of Connecticut towns. 81.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sterling | Typical Connecticut town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $283,400 | $376,000 |
| Median rent | — | $1,462 |
| Median household income | $102,695 | $109,167 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 81.1% | 80.3% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sterling
| People | Sterling | Typical Connecticut town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 | 45.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 20.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.0% | 45.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 11.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 11.6% | 16.8% |
| Average commute | 35.4 min | 27.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.9% | 93.8% |
Weather in Sterling
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 18.5°F. About 53.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.0 inches of snow (typical Connecticut town: 39.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 133 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Connecticut town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 14, 1992 about 5.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 13, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 3, 2025.
Public schools in Sterling
1 public school with 319 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Community School | PK-8 | 319 | 10.6 |
Towns near Sterling
- Moosup, CT3.2 mi · 3,113 people · home $270,900
- Plainfield, CT4.4 mi · 14,973 people · home $272,100
- Plainfield Village, CT5.9 mi · 2,580 people · home $232,600
- Foster, RI7.4 mi · 4,469 people · home $425,300
- Coventry, RI7.9 mi · 35,688 people · home $356,200
- Danielson, CT8.1 mi · 4,155 people · home $224,600
- Voluntown, CT8.5 mi · 2,570 people · home $356,100
- Killingly, CT9.1 mi · 17,752 people · home $288,600
Sterling questions
Is Sterling, Connecticut a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sterling scores better for retirees than 8% of Connecticut towns and quieter than 76%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.4).
How much does a house cost in Sterling?
The median owner-occupied home in Sterling is valued at $283,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $102,695, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Sterling?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 18.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.8 inches of precipitation a year and 38.0 inches of snow.
Does Sterling get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sterling since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 14, 1992. The typical Connecticut town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)